Stencil hanger



F. J. R. CHURCH Nov. 9, .1965

STENCIL HANGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31, 1962 A Horneys Nov. 9, 1965 F. J. R. CHURCH 3,216,581

STENG IL HANGER Filed Oct. 31, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "3 a: PL $6 11 i,

1 l w W \ill l J- U\\% l Inventor- Attorneys United States Patent 3,216,581 STENCIL HANGER Frederick James Ralph Church, Yonkers, N.Y., assignor to Gestetuer Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Oct. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 234,358 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-45) This invention relates in general to a hanger for use in hanging up duplicator stencils, offset plates and similar sheets. The hanger, according to the invention is specially suitable for filing stencils and the like in a vertical plane, in such a manner that the stencils can be stored without fear of damage and yet can easily be removed when required.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a stencil hanger on which the duplicator stencils may be hung in a filing cabinet in such a way that large numbers can readily be stocked in a relatively small space and yet any one stencil can be removed without disturbing the remainder.

A further object is to provide a stencil hanger including a pair of oppositely directed lances which are so shaped and positioned as to be engageable with the perforations which are formed in the marginal portion of the stencil.

Another object is to provide a stencil hanger of planar form which can be fitted to a stencil or offset plate merely by bowing the hanger or stencil and engaging the holes on the stencil on oppositely directed lances on the hanger and allowing the hanger or stencil to spring back to a substantially planar configuration.

Yet another object is to provide in combination a stencil hanger having oppositely directed lances for engaging a stencil and a cover folder for protecting the stencil.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description which is given with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a hanger of this invention with a stencil shown in phantom;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the hanger of FIG- URE l with a duplicator stencil in place thereon;

FIGURE 3 shows an elevation of a cover folder illustrated in the open position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view with part cut away, of the folder in use with a stencil and hanger; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of another form of hanger according to this invention.

In the drawing, the hanger of this invention is generally indicated at and is made from any suitable flat material which is springy, for example thin sheet plastic material such as polyvinylchloride or thin sheet metal.

The hanger 10 comprises a body portion 12 having arms 14 and 16 extending from the side of said body portion 12. At the extremities of the arms 14 and 16 two downturned ears 18 and 20 define holding portions for locating the hanger 10 on spaced apart horizontal rails 19 of a filing cabinet (FIGURE 2).

Below said arms 14 and 16 extend two oppositely directed lances 22 and 24 having tips 22 and 24' respectively. The lances 22 and 24 define with arms 14 and 16, notches 23 and 25 respectively. The hanger illustrated in FIGURE 1 is completed by tab 26. Preferably the tab, arms, ears, lugs, and body are formed by a single piece of fiat sheet material and the whole hanger is stamped in one operation.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the hanger being used to support a duplicator stencil indicated generally at 30 and having an upper marginal portion 32 provided with a plurality of perforations 34. The hanger may be applied to the stencil as follows: one of the lances 24 is passed through a 3,215,581 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 suitable perforation 34, and the hanger moved until the notch 25 engages the upper marginal portion 32 of the hanger 30. The hanger is then bowed slightly until the tip 22 of lance 22 registers with another perforation 34 and the hanger then released. The springiness of the hanger straightens the same and the lance 22 passes through the perforation so that the hanger completely supports the stencil. The hanger can now simply be fitted in place in an open topped cabinet or drawer with the ears 18 and 20 hooked over parallel horizontal rails in same cabinet or drawer. It will be appreciated that the stencil is firmly supported on the hanger and cannot be accidentally dislodged therefrom. It requires the positive action of bowing the hanger to enable the stencil to be removed again.

Thus, a very large number of stencils can be stored in a very easy manner, so as to hang in a vertical plane. If desired a suitable marking may be applied to tab 26 for identification of the particular stencil so that said stencil can readily be located in the filing cabinet and easily withdrawn without disturbing the other stencils therein.

In many instances it is desirable to provide the stencil or multilith plate with a cover folder, firstly to keep the stencil clean and out of contact with other stencils in the cabinet or drawer and secondly to protect the operators hands if the stencil is filed immediately after use. A folder suitable for use with the hanger of this invention is illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The cover folder of the invention is indicated generally at 40 and comprises two mirror image halves 42 and 44, half 42 having three apertures 46, 48, 50 while half 44 is provided with apertures 52, 54, 56 which are disposed in mirror image configuration relative to said aperture in half 42.

FIGURE 4, which is generally similar to FIGURE 2, the bars 19 being omitted for clarity, clearly illustrates the use of cover folder 40. Said folder 40 is positioned around a stencil 30 so that apertures 46, 56 overlie a perforation 34 of stencil 30 to provide a first opening and one of the two pairs of holes 48, 54 or 50, 52 overlies a second of said perforations 34 in stencil 30 to provide a second opening. Lance 22 (or 24) of hanger 10 is inserted through the opening defined by aperture 46, perforation 34 and aperture 50, the hanger body 12 is then bowed until the tip 24' (or 22') of said other lance 24 (or 22) locates said second opening. The hanger 10 is then released and allowed to straighten and the position illustrated schematically in FIGURE 4 is attained.

Many variants of hanger and cover folder are contemplated within the scope of the invention. For example, the tab 26 may be omitted and the upper edge of the hanger may be straight, the lances on the hanger may be provided with their tip portions directed towards one another as opposed to away from one another in the embodiment described above.

Such a construction is illustrated in FIGURE 5. This construction is generally similar to that illustrated with reference to FIGURES 1 to 4, but differs in that the upper edge of the hanger is straight and the lances 22 and 24 are directed towards one another. It will be appreciated that, when attaching a stencil or offset plate to the hanger of FIGURE 5, the operator flexes or hows the stencil and not the hanger. The marginal portion is bowed and the tips of the inwardly directed lances are located on a pair of perforations 34 the stencil is then released so that it springs back and engages the lances,

The cover folder may be provided with any number of apertures, such apertures being oriented in any suitable manner and of any suitable configuration so that it is readily possible to register therewith the perforations in the marginal portion of the stencil with which the hanger and cover folder are to be used.

It is to be understood that the specific constructions of hanger and cover folder described are presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and are not intended to indicate the limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a cover folder comprising two hinged together halves for folding about a stencil having an upper perforated marginal portion and means defining spaced apart apertures in each of said halves of the cover folder, the apertures of one half registering with the apertures of the other half when the cover is in folded condition, and a hanger of flat springy material and comprising a body portion, a supporting arm extending outwardly from each end of said body portion and a lance extending from each end of said body portion, the two lances projecting in opposite directions and each lance having a tip portion, said body portion being flexible to a position wherein said tip portions engage and pierce said registered apertures of said cover.

2. A hanger for supporting a flat sheet-like article having a plurality of perforations on a marginal portion thereof, such hanger being of flat elongate form and comprising a flat springy body portion; a pair of outwardly projecting supporting arms contiguous with said body portion one projecting from each end of said body portion; a supporting hook extending downwardly from each arm; a pair of straight lances projecting from said body portion in opposite directions parallel to the direction of length of the hanger and below said arms; and free ends on each lance positioned inwardly of said hooks and engageable in said perforations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 703,023 6/02 Wade l29l6.7 1,060,927 5/13 Meyer 211-945 1,705,268 3/29 Ringler l29l6 1,744,094 l/30 Anthony 129-16 1,900,073 3/33 Peel 129-l6 2,248,027 7/41 Maass 12916.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 757,030 9/56 Great Britain.

807, 83 8 1/59 Great Britain.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner, CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner. 

2. A HANGER FOR SUPPORTING A FLAT SHEET-LIKE ARTICLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF PERFORATIONS ON A MARGINAL PORTION THEREOF, SUCH HANGER BEING OF FLAT ELONGATE FORM AND COMPRISING A FLAT SPRINGY BODY PORTION; A PAIR OF OUTWARDLY PROJECTING SUPPORTING ARMS CONTIGUOUS WITH SAID BODY PORTION ONE PROJECTING FROM EACH END OF SAID BODY PORTION; A SUPPORTING HOOK EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM EACH ARM; A PAIR OF STRAIGHT LANCES PROJECTING FROM SAID BODY PORTION IN OPPO- 